The Furrow Collective - We Know By The Moon (2023) [Hi-Res]

We Know by the Moon is the latest album from award-winning English/Scottish group The Furrow Collective (Lucy Farrell, Rachel Newton, Emily Portman and Alasdair Roberts). Recorded with long-time producer Andy Bell between Glasgow and Sheffield in early 2023, ten years after the band’s formation, the album has a lunar theme:

"The moon, the stars, darkness and night are threads woven through these songs. Songs to be listened to after dark, by candlelight, firelight, or under the cold, steady light of our constant lunar companion." The Furrow Collective

A wintry album of moonlit serenades and starlit balladry, We Know by the Moon showcases the group’s characteristic array of musical talents and ability to source and transform the quirkiest of folk songs, honed over a full decade of playing and singing together. The band’s voices blend in harmony singing at its rawest, with understated and sensitive instrumental accompaniment, featuring harp, guitars, piano and viola.

The 11 tracks feature songs from England, Scotland and beyond; from 's Fhada Leam an Oidhche Gheamhraidh’, the homesick Gaelic lament of an Isle of Lewis emigrant, to Robert Burns’ ‘O, Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast’, as well as a foray into the German language with Schubert’s ‘Der Leiermann (The Hurdy-Gurdy Man)‘ and an unaccompanied vocal version of ‘Oh Watch the Stars’, learnt from a record by The Seeger Sisters. The record features spellbinding illustrations by May Farrell (Lucy’s mum) to accompany each song.

The Furrow Collective formed in 2013, its four individually distinctive members drawn together by a shared love of traditional song and balladry of England, Scotland and beyond and an open, intuitive approach to collaboration. In recognition of their innovative approach, The Furrow Collective were awarded the accolade of 'Best Group' at the 2017 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, hot on the heels of the release in late 2016 of their second album, Wild Hog. Their fourth album, We Know by the Moon is the follow up to Fathoms (2018) and was sparked as an idea after their 2022 winter EP The Longest Night.

We Know By The Moon pre-order is launched and first single ‘The Moon Shines Bright’ is released on the October full moon (28.10.23) with the complete album released not on a Friday as normal, but on the November full moon (28.11.23). The Furrow Collective are the first artists Hudson Records worked with and we are really excited, in the group’s tenth anniversary year, to be continuing this journey together.

CREDITS
Lucy Farrell Viola, Tenor Guitar, Percussion, Vocals
Rachel Newton Harp, Electroharp, Vocals
Emily Portman Concertina, Piano, Banjo, Vocals
Alasdair Roberts Acoustic, Electric, Twelve-String and Bass Guitars, Cello, Cymbal, Vocals
Andy Bell Engineer, Mixer, Producer, Percussion
Sam Proctor Mastering
May Farrell Cover artwork
Robin Beatty Design

Tracklist:
1.01 - The Furrow Collective - The Moon Shines Bright (3:21)
1.02 - The Furrow Collective - The Moon Shined on My Bed Last Night (4:25)
1.03 - The Furrow Collective - Every Day is Three (3:22)
1.04 - The Furrow Collective - Apprenticed in London (1:55)
1.05 - The Furrow Collective - 's Fhada Leam an Oidhche Gheamhraidh (3:52)
1.06 - The Furrow Collective - Are Ye Sleepin Maggie (3:58)
1.07 - The Furrow Collective - The Wild Wild Berry (4:04)
1.08 - The Furrow Collective - O, Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast (3:54)
1.09 - The Furrow Collective - The Wife of Usher’s Well (5:20)
1.10 - The Furrow Collective - The Hurdy Gurdy Man (Der Leiermann) (3:54)
1.11 - The Furrow Collective - O Watch the Stars (2:24)